Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) today announces a new collaboration with Car Next Door, one of Australia’s leading car-sharing companies.

  • Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) is collaborating with Car Next Door to offer Hyundai drivers more choice and flexibility in their car ownership
  • New Auto Link function will allow Hyundai drivers to rent their vehicles and earn extra funds seamlessly and securely via the inbuilt Auto Link unit connected to their smart phones

Utilising a new version of Hyundai’s Auto Link phone app now in development, owners of Hyundai cars will soon have ability to list their cars for rent when they aren’t being used, much like Airbnb does with homes.

Using the inbuilt Auto Link unit connected to their smart phones, Hyundai drivers will be able to seamlessly and conveniently rent their vehicles by the hour or day to vetted members of Car Next Door’s peer-to-peer car sharing community.

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It will allow them to access and drive other Car Next Door-registered vehicles with their phones, negating the need for a traditional key.

Currently available on the new i30 hatch and Kona SUV, and soon to be available on the new Santa Fe and IONIQ, Hyundai Auto Link connects owners’ vehicles to their phones, giving them information about their vehicle and helping them to drive more efficiently.

The new Auto Link with Car Next Door functionality will be introduced in 2019 and will give Hyundai drivers even more flexibility and choice.

“By the end of 2019, Australians will be able to buy a Hyundai car with the built-in ability to seamlessly and easily rent it out and earn extra money,” said Hyundai Motor Company Australia Chief Operating Officer, Scott Grant.

“This capability will be pre-installed and integrated into a new version of Hyundai’s Auto Link unit, making it a simple matter to earn extra funds via Car Next Door’s innovative car sharing platform.

“We think it will be a great extra option for Hyundai owners and we are proud to partner with Car Next Door in this fantastic innovation.

Car Next Door CEO and co-founder Will Davies welcomed the collaboration:

“Fuel prices, economic pressures and rapid changes in vehicle technology are all supporting the development of connected cars and the sharing economy – so you can have a car when you need one, but when you’re not using it, the vehicle is out there making you money. Owners can then factor this income into their regular repayments.”

The average earning when listing a medium-size car for rent on Car Next Door is just over $3,000 a year, with van owners making $7,500 a year and upwards.

Caltex is also participating in the project with continued support for Car Next Door’s peer to peer car sharing platform.